Heavens' Laughter

"Why are you still standing here? You're his personal servant. Go after him!" Feng Yuanyun snapped, his voice sharp despite the good mood he was in.

He needed to keep a close eye on his second son; he had to be sure this wasn't just a stroke of luck that he had changed so suddenly.

"But... but you said I could focus more on tending to the First Young Master, as long as I took care of the Second Young Master's basic needs?" Xiǎo Bāo stammered, her voice trembling.

She knew her words were out of line, but her love outweighed the hierarchy. In her heart, nothing mattered more than returning to the First Young Master, even if it meant defying orders.

Besides, Xiǎo Bāo didn't want to go near the Second Young Master. She had a bad feeling in her gut, fearing he was going to do something terrible to her.

The mere thought made her stomach twist into knots.

Feng Yuanyun's joyful mood quickly soured as he glared at the lowly servant. He clearly wasn't pleased at being talked back to.

"I take back my words," he said coldly, his gaze hardening. "Starting now, you are to tend to my second son 24/7. Whatever he asks of you, you will do."

Xiǎo Bāo wanted to speak up, but she knew better. It would be beyond idiotic to defy him further. Swallowing her true feelings on the matter, she lowered her head. "Yes, Patriarch," she murmured obediently.

'Once the First Young Master hears of this, he'll come to save me!' she thought, a flicker of hope igniting within her. 'I know he will!'

Deep down, Xiǎo Bāo held onto the belief that he would ride to her rescue, just like a prince saving his princess from a dire fate.

But for right now, with no other choice, she turned and left to follow.

▬▬ι═══════ﺤ

Leaving the Feng property.

With a yawn, Feng Shen began his stroll through the city known as the Crane's Nest, home to the Royal Family and the Three Families.

A prosperous city, one of the wealthiest places in the entire Upper Realm, and the heart of the Crane Empire, which served as a vibrant hub for alchemy, formations, spirit beasts, talisman crafting, and more.

Many influential figures from the Upper Realm resided here, and countless geniuses had been born within its walls.

The very walls that Feng Shen himself had torn down in his past life, unleashing a torrential sea of blood that drowned hundreds of thousands.

'Ah~ good times.'

Feng Shen wouldn't lie; he missed toying with these so-called "powerful" nations, watching the common people crumble under the weight of their own despair.

The memory of royalty groveling at his feet for mercy, armies falling like insects despite their best efforts to stop him, filled him with pleasure.

So, Feng Shen was quite annoyed that the Crane's Nest appeared more prosperous than ever.

The last time he had known this city—and the entire Crane Empire—it had been struggling, from its crumbling infrastructure to its faltering economy.

'Whatever, it'll be more satisfying to watch everything crumble now, especially since it's so prosperous,' Feng Shen thought, a small smile tugging at his lips.

He could already picture it. The streets, once bustling with life, now filled with screams.

The royal family trembling at his feet, their pride shattered.

The once-untouchable Three Families bowing before him, pleading for mercy they would never receive.

'It'll be too beautiful~…'

As Feng Shen was lost in his own thoughts, he suddenly heard a female voice from behind.

"Second Young Master, please wait up!" Xiǎo Bāo called out, panting heavily as she jogged to catch up, carefully lifting her hanfu to avoid tripping.

Feng Shen glanced over his shoulder, rolling his eyes before turning his eyes back ahead. He continued walking, indifferent to whether she caught up or not.

After all, Xiǎo Bāo was the servant, not him; he had no obligation to wait.

Feng Shen believed his time was precious, while hers was insignificant.

Xiǎo Bāo fought back tears as she finally caught up, desperately needing a moment to catch her breath. Her feet throbbed painfully in the straw sandals, which offered little comfort.

'I hate this bastard!'

Xiǎo Bāo had an urge to slap him, but this wasn't like the past. She knew that if she did, the Second Young Master would kill her.

Just as he had with those other maidservants. Xiǎo Bāo didn't want to tempt fate.

Suddenly, lost in her thoughts and oblivious to her surroundings, she bumped into the back of the Second Young Master.

"Ouch…" Xiǎo Bāo winced, holding her nose and preparing to apologize. But as she glanced up, her words caught in her throat.

She noticed the irritation etched on the Second Young Master's face, and it was clear it wasn't aimed at her.

In front of them was a large, congested crowd that had gathered in front of a small tea shop, effectively blocking the entire road.

Voices erupted from within the small place as people shouted back and forth, their words spilling into the street.

"If you can't pay us back the 1,000 Spiritual Stones, then we'll gladly take your daughter as collateral!"

"Yeah, she'll fetch a high price in the Slave Auction!"

"Hopefully she's a virgin…"

"Please, no! Take anything but my precious daughter! I'll even hand over my prized sword! It's Superior Weapon Grade!"

"Father, I'm scared!"

Not concerned with the minor situation unfolding inside the small tea shop, Feng Shen's focus remained on the crowd. "Disgusting. Ants everywhere," he muttered to himself.

"Um, Second Young Master, we could go around?" Xiǎo Bāo suggested, hoping to calm him down. She didn't want him to cause a scene.

"No need." Feng Shen waved her off. He wouldn't allow such ants to block his way.

Pressing forward, he began shoving anyone in his path aside, completely disregarding their opinions.

Why would Feng Shen care about the words of such weaklings? They were all fated to die at his hands in the future, anyway.

Xiǎo Bāo closely followed behind, feeling like a turtle wanting to retreat into her shell. The angry eyes of those the Second Young Master pushed aside bore into her, and she could hear some of them starting to complain.

"Hey! Watch where you're shoving this supreme one!"

"Are you courting death? Only a fool would insult a cultivator of my caliber!"

"You lowly insect, did you just lay a hand on me?"

"Don't touch me there, you perv! That's sacred ground, not a marketplace!"